Theon
The Reach as a whole had been impressive, but Highgarden deserved its place as one of the most beautiful sights Theon had ever seen. He could still remember the vast fields of wheat, the fruit trees, the cattle, and the sprawling farms they had passed on their way.
We Do Not Sow, Theon contemplated his family's motto.
The Iron Islands had been wet and the North was cold, but here, here it felt good. People laughed, smiled, danced, and worked. There was poverty, but even then, it seemed marked with a smile. For sleep was easier with a full stomach
He, the heir of the Iron Islands, felt deep envy for something so blatantly opposite to his house and what it represented. He drank his watered wine in his room, thinking of the time he had planted a small seed in a cup of dirt under his bed. The beating he received from his brothers when they found out had been horrible, even by their standarts.
Although I can't remember the pain Theon mused, pondering how those memories felt strangely muted.
Nor do I have the scars. Weird he thought, while a small part of him missed his brothers. Or maybe not, and his mind was playing tricks on him again.
Someone kicked his door open and sat beside him. Theon rolled his eyes, painfully aware of who it was.
"Brooding? Really? Keep at it and you'll easily outbrood Jon and Jojen" the voice beside him said.
Theon nodded to Domeric. He served him wine in a cup that wasn't exactly clean.
Domeric did not mind.
"You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were a pussy little leech" Theon said, devoid of snark or snide.
Domeric raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"And I still think you're a pussy little leech, who happens to be a passable horseman" Theon shared his honest opinion.
Domeric laughed, now used to Theon's language.
"Well, at least this 'pussy little leech' has had more luck with the ladies in the Reach than you," Domeric said, well aware of the rejections Theon had been receiving. His family's reputation followed him like a shadow.
"You should try something new. That whole 'I am the future Iron Lord, let me fuck you' speech is a bit outdated, Mudjoy," Domeric said, smirking at Theon's scowl.
"And what do you suggest, wormeater?" Theon asked with a defiant look.
Domeric didn't take the bait.
"From what I've heard, word of your presence has spread. You could be killed, or worse, scammed" Domeric said, savoring Theon's confused expression.
"What did you expect? Your Ironborn have wreaked havoc among the smallfolk in the name of their 'Iron Price.'"
"So?" asked Theon
"So, you should try something different. Without the whole 'I will be a lord' angle" Domeric offered an empty solution
Theon rolled his eyes at the "helpful" advice.
"And Seb's orders don't help. 'Do not mess with the maids.' Oh well, you can use that frustration for tomorrow" Domeric said, imitating Sebastian's tone.
"Or try my luck with the dornish princess" Theon said with a smirk.
"She would cut your dick off with a smile on her face" Domeric deadpanned. Dornish women had quite the reputation, especially here in the Reach.
"She'll taste me first, then she'll decide. Maybe she'll love it so much she'll come back with me" Theon said.
"To where? Winterfell?" Domeric asked.
Theon's expression shifted.
Domeric looked at him, immediately apologetic.
"My bad, Theon."
It was a sore spot, the reality of his status as a ward, or a hostage.
Theon grumbled.
"Don't worry. I'll beat you up tomorrow in front of the crowd."
Domeric rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject
"Are Jon and Robb coming with us?" Domeric asked.
Theon nodded.
"What will our sigils be?" Domeric pondered.
Theon shrugged. "It's a surprise from Sebastian."
They both shuddered. Sebastian's surprises were always... unexpected.
"Well, I think I'll take my leave. I wanted to check on you, Mudjoy, but it seems you have it all handled. Don't piss yourself in the tourney" Domeric said, leaving the room.
"Check on Robb and Jon," Theon called out.
"On it" Domeric replied.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jon
Winterfell's bastard was nervous. He had been nervous to meet Ser Barristan Selmy, nervous to meet the King, and now he was nervous for the tourney. Sebastian's orders had been clear. They could not compete as themselves, only as mystery knights. He had said something about "PR" as well, but Jon hadn't really been paying attention.
The day arrived. Highgarden held its tourneys in a special area between the first and second walls of the castle. The official story was that the boys were all ill, confined to their chambers for the day.
Maybe if I win, I can crown her Jon mused, filled with puppy love. They had met Margaery Tyrell and her handmaidens. "Beautiful" wasn't a strong enough word to describe her, and even Sebastian had admitted she was pretty. Jon felt butterflies in his stomach just remembering her.
"Ready, boys?" Sebastian asked.
A large table stood before them, covered with a heavy cloth that hid their armor and shields.
"Yes. Quit the theatrics and show us what you found," Theon said. Jon couldn't agree more.
Sebastian pulled back the cloth.
"Slightly older, but robust. You are not to remove your helmets under any circumstance. The shields are ready, and the sigils... well, they are a little unconventional," Sebastian said.
Jon stared. The armor wasn't the polished steel of a Southron knight. It was dark, with a hint of rust. And the sigils... they weren't wolves or krakens.
"Unconventional?" Jon whispered, tracing the painted wood of the shield.
Sebastian nodded.
"Do you all remember what Ser Barristan's way was?"
"Honor?" Robb remembered.
"Different people have different ideas about the sword. Ser Barristan is honor. Lord Stark is duty. And for myself…" Sebastian said, as the room seemed to grow colder. "It's death."
"To fight is to kill. Don't get me wrong, don't try to kill anyone here. Go and fall, go and learn. Remember, while being a knight and participating in tourneys can be exhilarating, real combat is quite different. The cheers of the people won't accompany you in a siege, their love won't feed your armies. Your lives depend only on yourselves, and on each other."
Sebastian turned and left the room abruptly.
The boys stood there, flabbergasted.
"Did he just… got sentimental?" Robb asked.
"Beats me" Theon said. "For all I know, he's pretending and laughing at us behind our backs."
They laughed, partly at the absurdity, and partly to ease the nerves.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _
Robb
Robb had heard of tourneys before. Ser Rodrik had participated in one once, describing it as nothing more than training for "summer knights." But as his body sweated and his vision narrowed behind his visor, Robb couldn't disagree more. His shoulder ached, his legs burned, and he desperately wanted to rip the damn helmet off.
"DUCK!" someone shouted,maybe Theon,and Robb moved on instinct born of years of training.
"YIELD!" Theon screamed beside him at the man that tried to attack him.
Robb focused on the melee. Chaos was everywhere. He saw a sword swinging toward Jon's blind side.
Cling!
He deflected the blow and threw a punch. It would have worked, if he were five years older. His opponent chuckled and kicked dirt into Robb's visor.
When they blind you, duck. They tend to aim to the head an instinctual memory surfaced.
He did.
Tuck.
Keep your eyes wide open. Close them and you're dead. he remembered and he forced his eyes open despite the sting. His opponent was on the floor, Domeric pinning him and demanding a yield.
Robb kept on fighting.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Olenna
Lady Olenna sat overlooking the "foul and stupid" display of men pointing blunted sticks at one another. She had seen enough tourneys for three lifetimes. By the looks of it, this one was in its final stages. Shields had been abandoned, some contestants were now using their fists.
She looked at the masked young man standing beside her.
"What do you want?" she asked plainly.
"I thought young Willas would be accompanying us. Princess Arianne must be quite the handful to keep him so occupied" Sebastian said, his words dripping with a calculated venom.
"Stop the theatrics. One should be more worried about the strange 'disease' that coincidentally affected three heirs and a bastard just as four mystery knights appeared down there" she said.
Sebastian shrugged.
"Six. It seems old age affects the eyes, my Lady, for I count six mystery knights. I see a gallant knight and a small hidden rose down there as well. Strange hedge knights indeed." Sebastian said lightly.
"And you? Why not have a go? Perhaps a small bashing would do you some good." Olenna offered grandmotherly.
"I must sadly pass. This kind of 'chivalrous display' is not my forte. They tend to show their backs far too easily down there, they make… quite the tempting targets" Sebastian said, watching the battle with reluctance.
"What, would you stab someone in the back given a chance?" Olenna smirked.
"Well, it is the safest way, isn't it?" Sebastian replied.
Olenna laughed at the small show of bluntness
She watched as the field thinned.
One of the boys,the leech kid,still carried his shield.
"What is that sigil?" she asked.
"Intrigued, My Lady?"
"Not particularly. But the people love a mystery knight, if they win, they'll want to know."
"Three thin swords, tips touching, on a field of red. All for one and one for all. Unity will take them far" Sebastian explained.
Olenna scoffed.
"Pretty words won't save them from a sword to the head."
"Perhaps not today. But in the future, they will."
The sound of hurried footsteps approached. One of Olenna's "hands" had arrived.
"Which are you, left or right?" she asked the burly man.
"Left, My Lady" he whispered, leaning in to deliver the news.
"Go" she ordered.
She turned back to Sebastian.
"Is this your doing?"
"I thought a small gift would be well received" he said professionally.
"Quite the bloody gift you left on my doorstep. I am still confused as to why you worked for Eddard Stark for so long. This is not his style."
"Lord Stark ordered me to show restraint. We wouldn't want a bloody rampage across the Seven Kingdoms, would we?"
"And now? What do you want?" she asked, tired of the wordplay.
Sebastian sighed. "My Lady you see, I have committed countless atrocities, as have you yourself done. The fact is, we are both a particular type of person…"
"And pray tell, what kind of people are we?" Olenna gave a mirthless smile.
"A bunch of hypocrites, My Lady." added with finality Sebastian
Silence festered between them for a moment.
"The Tyrells are good to their smallfolk because you have fertile lands and commodities. And you, My Lady, have your family to look after-" He paused, his mask turned toward her. "-And you would burn, assassinate, and massacre all of the Reach if it meant your family's survival. I have no doubt. You and I are nothing more than twisted hypocrites."
"And if I even entertained the thought?" Olenna smiled at the "pups" fighting below.
"I would cut you limb from limb, piece by piece, heal you, and repeat. If my pups are hurt in any manner, I will burn the world around me until I can finally feel some warmth. Not that I will, only that I will try." He calmly served Olenna a piece of cake.
She took a bite, savoring the flavor.
"No longer the pacifist, are we?" she said with mirth in her eyes
"I never claimed to be as such." he replied in an even tone
She laughed.
"Family."
Sebastian nodded.
"You are coddling them too much. You'll spoil them rotten" Olenna said, watching the tournament.
Sebastian laughed. It sounded pure, like the first breath of spring.
"I don't deny it. That is why I agreed to this stupidity" he said, watching Robb avoid a padded sword.
"Flowers in a greenhouse rarely adapt to the wilderness" Olenna observed, cleaning her palate with tea.
"Did it stop you?" Sebastian's words hit like a dagger as he looked toward the other two mystery knights, Loras and Garlan Tyrell.
"Hypocrites indeed" Olenna agreed wholeheartedly.
"What will our family gain from all of this?"
"Funtom Company. Toys, music, and laughter," Sebastian said, watching Theon save Jon from a hit to the back.
"And? After all your talk of ominous subjects, that feels like a cheap offer."
"A clean house, My Lady. One that belongs fully to your family. All the authority for you."
"And all the blame, if it fails" she added with a smirk.
He nodded.
"You would do well as Master of Whispers, but I suspect that isn't what you're after," she said, easily discerning his future plans.
"My, my, it seems my little plan of crushing a poor, unfortunate mockingbird will soon have been discovered." He added with fake reluctancy.
"I will leave a clean slate, and Willas can take it from there." offered Sebastian
"Do we have an agreement, my Queen of Thorns?" the young monster asked.
"We have an agreement, Master of Coin" the old monster agreed.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _
Author Thoughts: Sorry for being late, I started my classes once again.
Left and right are the twins guards of lady olenna (Erryk and Arryk). She can not distinguish them so she calls them left and right.
Theon older brothers (who died in the greyjoy rebbelion) used to beat him up.
And here we have a goal for Sebastian and our first butterfly (for arianne martell got to Highgarden, for Oberyn Martell could not caught her on time. He was away, trying to recruit Sebastian - chapter 8- but Sebastian is going south).
And some references.
The pacifist dialogue was from a video from Neytirix (search for:No longer the pacifist (Horror Warning)) I highly recomend her content.
And the stab in the back is from a diaologue between garak and Odo (Star trek)
Hope you like it, comment, review, or not.
Stay safe.